Monday, March 10, 2008

To Blog or Not to Blog


Welcome to my first ever blog. My best friend Beckie of Dragonfly Corner introduced me to the world of blogging about a month ago. I must admit I thought blogs were just for chatty teenagers or sportswriters, and I have since found some unusual ones. So far, the blog about the questionable use of quotation marks has been the strangest I have found. (My blog might be cited later on the overuse of exclamation points!) But when I saw Lisa's Greenbow blog and then all the other wonderful gardening sites, I was hooked and decided to attempt my own. Please bear with me as I begin to navigate through yet another new technological experience.

First of all, although I do love gardening, I am truly a novice gardener. I began my first perennial bed about six years ago and have slowly become a little more knowledgeable about the world of gardening through trial and error. Reading gardening magazines and internet articles has also helped, so I am excited about reading all your blogs and learning so much from them as the season progresses. Already I am indebted to Carol of May Garden for her very helpful article on sowing seeds indoors. Ironically, just a few days before, I had purchased a few packets of seeds and some seed starter cells to try to banish the winter doldrums. With Carol's helpful tips, I may actually get some flowers to grow!
A little bit about myself...I recently retired after 34 years of teaching high school English. That will help to explain today's title--I firmly believe there is a Shakespearean quotation for every situation in life. I am enjoying my newly found free time, but most of all, I am looking forward to actually working in the garden before June! I have always lived in east central Illinois, but three and half years ago we moved to the family farm which is on the outskirts of the small town of St. Joseph. Our house sits back quite a way from the road, as you can see below(or above--I must learn how to insert pictures!) in the view from my living room window.

Obviously, I have lots of room to plant! That's the problem--I have grandiose plans, but not the energy or the wherewithall to carry out all of them. I have started on a very small scale and hope to share some pictures of my flowerbeds once they begin to bloom.
I have been so impressed by the gardening blogs I have read; the beautiful pictures, the articles, not to mention the mechanics of posting these must take a lot of time. I am afraid I may not be so faithful in posting blogs, but I will do my best. I am especially looking forward to sharing ideas with all of you and taking advantage of your expertise. In fact, my next blog will pose a couple questions for you experts, so I hope you will read it.


















7 comments:

  1. Congratulations!! Expertly done! I am sure it will get easier as you post more. We've shared many things over the years and now we can share the wonderful world of BLOGGING!

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  2. Hi Beckie told me about your blog. I have been blogging since November last year, and it is such fun.
    I sincerely look forward to your posts, it does get easier as you go along.
    Please feel free to visit mine, it will be a pleasure to welcome you.

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  3. Thanks for your kind comments, Beckie and Cheryl. I'm still learning the ropes, but I'm sure, too, it will get easier. I've enjoyed both your blogs; you have inspired me!

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  4. Hi Rose,

    I think this is a good beginning for you. I can't wait to see how your garden grows and how your blog develops.

    I don't remember seeing a comment from you on my blog. You must have been a lurker for some time. I hope you feel more comfortable commenting now that you have your own blog.

    I can't wait to read your poetry. I love poetry. I try to write it but I haven't been trained ot do so and all of my poetry sounds like it was untrained. I keep plugging away at it just as I do my painting.

    Congrats on your retirement. It is time to enjoy life.

    Do your gardening a little at a time. That is the best way. Don't hurry. Do what is foremost on your mind. It will all eventually get accomplished.

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  5. Lisa, Thank you for all your encouragement. Although I have taught poetry for years, I am not much of a poet myself and prefer to quote other poets. Keep "plugging away" at writing it; if you write what is in your heart, then that is all that matters.
    I am no longer a "lurker" in your blog--I finally got brave enough to post a comment there!

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  6. Rose, This is a great start. I'm always happy to read that I've helped another gardener try something new in her garden. I encourage you to keep on posting, it will get easier and faster, and ask questions of any garden blogger. I find they are all the nicest people, eager to help one another out.

    Carol, May Dreams Gardens

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  7. Hi Rose...well things sure can be funny sometimes. I found your blog through Cheryl's Time to smell the flowers, and thought I'd take a peek. Well it turns out we started our blog on exactly the same day, the same year!!! I see you werent so sure you would keep up with it...but I guess you did!! I wasn't so sure I would even be able to find mine after I clicked off it...but I guess I did too!! I think I'll look around a spell and try catching up some! There's nothing better than a garden blog!!

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